This is why cows should not be pets

Mom came home from the grocery store. She had the food in the trunk of the car. She opened the trunk and took a arm load of groceries into the house. When she came back three of my Dad's four cows had their heads in the trunk of the car. She yelled at them. They looked up and cow #1 had a bunch of bananas in her mouth. She yelled and ran at them. The cows ran off with the bananas and had a fight in the front yard over them. Mom and J got the rest of the groceries in closing the trunk in between each trip. The cows came back waiting for more produce. Mom threw a rock and hit cow #1 in between her eyes, cow did not even blink. These are big, vegetarian dogs.

Winter is here

When we got up this morning it was comfortable. Two hours later is was cold. Now at 8:30 at night it is really really cold and windy.

The boys helped me move the rest of the outside plants to the greenhouse. Nancy was out there just as busy as could be. She seems happy to have it there. Now that it is cold, it will stay pretty cool in the greenhouse and I can start cool weather plants in there to transplant into the garden. I am going to put some worms in a container and take them into the greenhouse.

There were a few holes in the plastic so I had Kurt climb up on a bench and tape them up. He couldn't reach the highest of the hole, so he held on to the center roof pipe with one hand and taped with the other. He looked just like a monkey. I will take a picture the next time he is with me and post it.

Compost heating up rooting agave

The compost pile has heated up to 120. According the the thermometer that is active, not hot. Hot is over 140. At least it is doing something. Michael feels better.

Debbie gave me a huge cutting of a century plant. The bottom is already calloused so we will see if it will root out in a container. I am not a fan of cactus, but this is a cool plant.

We may get a freeze in the next few day, so tomorrow we move all the plants into the greenhouse, pick all the green tomatos, and bring in the basil to dry.

cold compost

When we got up this morning the compost pile was at 100 degrees. It was 95 three hours later. I guess there was not enough nitrogen. Michael wanted to add more water, but that will just make it harder to turn when it goes completely cold. When it gets cold we will turn it and start over.

Greenhouse and compost

We moved the greenhouse to Combine today. Well Larry and Jim put up the greenhouse and Nancy and I watched. It will be nice to have it out of my tiny garden and be able to share it with a friend.

Michael and I cleaned the space that moving the greenhouse freed up. We had what looked like way to much stuff to compost, but when we started building the pile, it just barely filled the bin. We didnt have much green stuff so we had to add a lot of cotton seed meal and rabbit poop. It has been so dry, I couldn't believe how much water it held. Hopefully I added enough nitrogen that it will heat up. The last time it only got up to about 110

Jogging with Kurt

I probably will never post twice in one day again, but I had to add this.

If you are a 43year-old out of shape woman DO NOT take an 8-year-old soccer player with you when you decide to take up jogging again. He ran backwards, he ran forwards, he skipped, he moon walked. He talked about the moon and the stars and the cicadas in the trees. He made up a song about everything that happend on our "jog" He kicked a frog. I know Ken, it was a toad. Really, we dont want to open up that conversation. I huffed and I puffed and I had to stop and walk. He is staying home tomorrow.

Worm food

My mom has been driving me crazy. She wants me to get a new table because my table, the table I love, only has four chairs. We are able to eat together because I have a smaller table that fits in a corner about 18 inches from the larger table. Two of the boys sit at this table. Apparently, this is not close enough. The trouble is my dining area is not big enough for a larger table. If we get a larger table we will not be able to get outside or into my office. Yet she continues her battle. Now my best friend and a sister-in-law are shopping for a table. If she gets the rest of the sisters and her best friend going there will be at least 9 people calling me to tell me about the cute table they found. I am going to scream.

We eat together and even better cook together. Tonight, we made pork chops with grilled vegetables. I put italian dressing on zuccini. Well... the oldest one, who would not eat cooked zuccini before, loved it (he will eat almost any veggie raw). The youngest hated it. He wants me to do it the other way with olive oil and a little season salt. Maybe I should let each kid season their own after its grilled.

When we move to a bigger place, we want a huge table that can seat our gigantic extended family. In the meantime, I think I will cook with my husband and boys and eat as close as we can get. Really, I can reach them if I have to.

Mom did make up for making me crazy about this stupid table by saving food scraps for my worms. She freezes them (the scraps not the worms)so they dont smell up her kitchen. She saves vegetable and fruit peals and stuff that is going bad. She forgets egg shells and coffee grounds, but I will take what I can get.